Desert dust improves the photophysiology of heat-stressed corals beyond iron.

ABSTRACT: Desert dust is an important source of essential metals for marine primary productivity, especially in oligotrophic systems surrounded by deserts, such as the Red Sea. However, there are very few studies on the effects of dust on reef-building corals and none on the response of corals to heat stress. We therefore supplied dust to two coral species (Stylophora pistillata and Turbinaria reniformis) kept under control conditions (26 °C) or heat stress (32 °C). Since dust releases large amounts of iron (Fe) in seawater, among other metals, the direct effect of different forms of Fe enrichment on coral photosynthesis was also tested. First, our results show that the desert dust altered the coral metallome by increasing the content of metals that are important for coral physiology (e.g. lithium (

SUBMITTER: Amorim K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11532333 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature